Germany mum on ending boycott

SummaryHis response came when asked to comment on Britain’s announcement on Thursday to resume engagement with Gujarat, ending a 10-year boycott of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, and whether Germany would follow suit.

Germany on Friday remained non-committal on whether it would follow Britain in resuming engagement with Gujarat but said it was kept informed by the UK before the announcement of the decision. “There is nothing for us to comment. We, Germany, do not have the intention to interfere in the ongoing election campaign in Gujarat elections,” German Ambassador Michael Steiner said.

His response came when asked to comment on Britain’s announcement on Thursday to resume engagement with Gujarat, ending a 10-year boycott of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, and whether Germany would follow suit.

Steiner also said Britain had informed Germany prior to the announcement of its decision.

The remarks were made at a discussion on Shashi Tharoor’s book Pax Indica.

Stenier said trade is beneficial for India and Germany and “it is in our interest to have companies who want to go and stay there for a longer time”.

Tharoor said India have a secular image but Modi sent out a “wrong” example to the outside world.